Using Watercolor Pencils to Make Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)

Watercolor as an art medium is something I haven’t really explored deeply until this past year. I’m kind of surprised that I’ve grown to love using watercolor pencils, which allow me to draw and fill in the detail more precisely of the subjects I’d like to paint …and then add water to create the watercolor effect. Overall, I have more control over the final result. Lately, I’ve been trying to improve the way I blend colors to create realistic effects.

When working with watercolors for artist trading cards, it is advised to choose watercolor paper, which has a less absorbent, stiffer surface that doesn’t allow paint to bleed through and soak the paper. I purchase watercolor paper pre-cut to the 3 ½ x 2 ½ sizes needed for artist trading cards.

When I approach an artist trading card theme, I first sketch my idea in pencil. I’m currently creating a card for a Whimsical Hair theme…so this one centers on the concept of ‘dragon hair.’ Then, I follow up by outlining using a fine-tipped Sharpie pen.

I start coloring in the drawing. The darker the marks, the deeper the watercolors. I then start add more detail to the drawing with the Sharpie pen. In the last photo above, I darkened the colors and added more shadowing in the hair.

Since I am working with a drawing that has small details (in the hair), I use a smaller, sharply-pointed watercolor brush. The brush shown here happened to come with the watercolor pencil set that I use. I dip the brush in a small container of water, shake the excess (because too much water will cause the colors to run together). The water allows you to blend colors in a larger space, or concentrate on one section at a time. When shading the hair for this card, I paint lighter colors into dark to avoid losing hues like yellow. When the card dries, I go in and add details, like color and more precise features (such as the eyes of the girl and dragon).

I use a black Sharpie pen, white Gelly Roll pen, and glitter gel pens to add the final touches to the card.

Using Watercolor Pencils for an Artist Trading Card Swap

One of the most recent artist trading card swaps that I participated in involved specific requests. I joined a group of four other people, and we were tasked to hand-draw or hand-paint cards for one another. Below are the themes they requested and the art cards that I made for them (and later got in return):

The Cards that I Made…

Fandanie requested:A whimsical black/orange cat with white paws

One of the first things that popped into my head when I thought of a ‘whimsical cat’ was Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat, so I gained inspiration from that character.

This was my first time drawing anything architectural in a true-to-form nature. I had no idea how to approach this theme until I looked outside and saw snow, and just imagined a little church in the middle of nowhere that gets visits from local wildlife.

Usually I outline artwork with a fine-tip Sharpie pen, but decided to let the watercolors create the ‘fluffy’ texture of the sheep’s wool. Once again, a white Gelly Roll pen makes his facial features pop against the darker watercolors.

The Cards that I Received…

For this swap, I chose the theme of girls or ladies in a polka dotted dress.

My ultimate goal is to collect various dresses and styles…made by artists from around the world.

I cannot stop looking at KPinAK‘s card. I am beyond over-the-moon that it’s mine. My eye is immediately drawn to the dress (with its shadowing and lovely details) – it is truly mesmerizing. The car…the flooring…the shadows of wedding guests…even the woman’s posture are all things that I enjoy analyzing. I just feel like I received a mini painting that belongs on the wall. I can really tell that KPinAK put a lot of thought into the composition of this card, and I really appreciate it.

I am in LOVE with the lil’ girl that CiCiCreates drew – there is so much personality coming through. I love the design details of this card, especially the dress (with the little ties), her pose, her shoes, and purse.

Your trading cards are so vibrant and whimsical! My box of 132 Prisma pencils is one of my most used supplies on my art desk, but I have to admit that I haven’t done much with watercolor pencils. I love the affects that can be achieved with them though. Maybe it’s time to get a set.Renee | The Good Hearted Woman recently posted…“Kissing Hand” Share Chair {DIY Tutorial}

Out of all the mediums, colored pencil is my second favorite (chalk is my number one!). I love the way pencils glide and blend. There’s just something so peaceful and relaxing to feel the color transfer to the paper!

It’s so nice to be able to create works of art and share it with people who do the same. The appreciation for the craft grows even more. I think you did an awesome job painting and so did the other artists.

I had no idea that watercolor pencils were a thing! These seem amazing, and now I want to get some! I am not an artist, but my daughter and I enjoy drawing together and I think these would be fun for both of us!Jessica Joachim recently posted…Raising Empowered Daughters

I haven’t drawn in a while but my medium was colored pencils but not the water colored kind. I wonder if you can still use them like a watercolor even if they aren’t specifically designed for that ?Janel B recently posted…Gluten-Free Spinach Fettuccine Review